Using natural light on location for informal, relaxed, family photographyin your own home.

See my PORTFOLIO to let the pictures do the talking ... always the best way I find ...

Or read on for more on my approach to family photography.

My aim is to provide you with a set of photographs of your family which will invite interest, evoke emotions and ultimately - stand the test of time.

Natural Light on Location

I am a location photographer. This means I work on location not in a studio and use natural light almost exclusively.

Most of the time I’ll shoot inside and outside, singles and groups - to produce a great variety of images but always with the same underlying thread – informal, relaxed and lit with natural light.

The variety that can be achieved with this approach is one of the many benefits of having a location shoot.

The downside is it can make it hard to choose just one favourite! Which is why our luxurious albums can be a wonderful way to show your pictures - a real family heirloom piece.

Sittings At Home.

An integral part of getting these results, particularly with children, is shooting at home.

It helps keep everyone at ease. All the paraphernalia of a studio - flash heads, power packs, backdrops - can be quite overwhelming for a child who will invariably feel much more comfortable in familiar surroundings.

Having the home environment as the background also adds context and depth to the images.

Who doesn’t have a photograph of themselves as a child which triggers a flood of memories based on the outdated pattern on the curtains or the action man lying on the floor? Mine is of me sitting at the wheel of my father’s car with it’s walnut dash and leather steering wheel. I can smell it!

Subtle

“Stunning” is a word which is often used on photographers’ web sites. Which to me implies something which grabs attention – but does not necessarily sustain interest.

I would describe my approach to photography as subtle.

A prospective client came to us at a show recently because, he said: “All the other photography I’ve seen out there is about “style” – yours is about substance”.

It was a really gratifying assessment, all the more so because it came totally out of the blue.

Re-touching

This subtle approach extends to re-touching. Computer software is an amazing tool for photographers - but needs to be used skilfully and with a light touch.

I use the “Dark Room” rule in all my processing and re-touching – if I would not have been able to do it when hand-printing I don’t do it. I’ll happily remove stray hairs, minimise lines a little, etc – but I won’t make you look like Barbie …

If this sounds like what you are after please get in touch with me or my wife Anna.